Breaker point filing device



July 7, 1959 I H. R. KITTS 2,393,103 BREAKER POINT FILING DEVICE Filed May 23, 19,57

I fl. 6 INVENTOR.

17/9/13? Y R /l/ 775' 3/ I I By 36 34 United States Patent 2393.108 BREAKER rolNr FILING DEVICE H arry R K itts, Green Bay, Wis, assignor to I Stanley E; Binish, Green Bay, Wis. Applicants May 23, 1957, serial No. 661,185 1 Claim. Cl. 29-76 This ir'ivention relates to ignition circuit inter-rupters, and more particularly to a contact filing device therefor.

After a circuit interrupter has been in operation for a length of time, it becomes necessary to clean the con tact or breaker points thereof; which is best accomplished by filing their coacting surfaces. V

Ihe best operating results are obtained when the coacting surfaces of the contact points are flat and parallel to each other; Therefore, it is necessary that the filing of said surfaces must be carefully done.

'io obtain such flat and parallel contact surfaces is diiiicult and trying because of the practical inaccessibility-of-the installed points in the present day interrupter and the limited and restricted working space available for filing.

In order to facilitate the filing operation above mentioned, a contact filing device. as hereinafter described, has been provided. a

An object of this invention is the provision of a contact filing device adapted to be anchored to the contacts during the filing operation.

Another object is to provide a contact filing device pivotally engag'eable with the contact points, for ease and convenience of the filing operation.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a contact filing device adapted to hold the associated contact points in axial alignment with'each other during the filing operation.

jYet another object is to provide a contact filing device adapted to hold the contacts in axial alignment while calibrating the spring tension in the pivotal con tact arm. L

A furtherobject of this invention is the provision of a contact filing device operable to guide the file to the contact points at the commencement of the filing operation. 7

Still a further object is to provide a contact filing device operable to guide the file undeviatingly over the contact points during the filing operation.

Yet a further object of this invention is the provision of a contact filing device operable to hold the contact points slightly spaced "apart, to facilitate the entry therebetween of a sharpened file end.

Another object is to provide a contact filing device operable to hold the contact points slightly spaced apart, against the tension of the interrupters spring arm; thereby to urge and hold the guide, and file therein, radially of the axes of the contact points.

Still another object offthis invention is the provision of a contact filing device operable to firmly steady the file during the filing operation.

Yet another object is to provide a contact filing device adapted to accommodate both regular and heavy duty contact points.

i A further object of this invention is the provision of a contact filing device "emhiiclying 'a gut-dense for 2,893,108 Patented July 1959 maintaining a clean file and protecting the file from grease and oil accumulations thereon when used in a garage environment, the grease and oil being harmful to con-' tact points and resulting in faulty sparking and short point life.

, Still a further object is to provide a contact filing device having apertures for receiving and holding associated contact point.

Yet a further object of this invention is the provision of a contact filing device adapted to hookcdly engage associated contact points. I

Another object is to provide a contact filing device having a longitudinal slot for receiving associated contact points.

Other specific objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in con nection with the accompanying drawings in which like references numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates a top view of interrupter means as usually installed in an automobile and showing the filing device invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the contact points and supporting structure, as shown in Fig. 1, and the filing device operatively related thereto;

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the guide-case of the inventiori;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of the guide-case shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an (arid view of the guide-case shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a cross section view taken on lines 6-'6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section view taken on lines 7 7 of Fig. 3;

Fig; 8 is a plan view of the file receivable in the guide-case such as shown in Fig. 3, and assembled therewith as shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 9 is a modification of the guide-case, showing hook ends for engaging the contact points;

Fig. 10 is another modification of the guide-case, showing the slot ends for receiving the contact points; and

Fig. 11 illustrates another modified form of the guide case of Fig. 3, showing the upper extensions removed therefrom.

Referring now to the drawings; wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Fig. l interrupter means generally indicated by reference numeral 10, and the breaker points filing device generally indicated by the reference numeral 11.

A conventional interrupter means comprises substantially a mounting plate or disc 12 having indirectly mounted thereon a fixed breaker point 13 and a pivotal breaker point"14. I

The mounting plate or rise 12 is adapted to be rotatably controlled by governor means, mechanical or vacuo'us; or the like (not shown), to effect an automatic advance or retard of the sparking, as in the conventional automobile ignition system manner.

Said disc is centrally apertured to receive a distributor or cam shaft 15 therethrough, to which a hexagonal cam. 16 is rotatively, rigidly secured, and about which the disc is oscillatably controlled for ignition timing purposes.

The cain and its shaft is driven indirectly by the engine crankshaft. The six angle point portions of said cam serve as cam lobes; Ordinarily, the cam will have as many lobes as the engine has cylinders, and is rotated onehalf as fast as the crankshaft. As it rotates, the cam opens the breaker points and interrupts the primary circuit in the ignition system. a

The ignition points such as contact or breaker points 13 and 14 are indirectly mounted on oscillatable disc as follows; A predetermined irregularly shaped plate element 17 is pivotally mounted on fixed pin 18 projecting from disc 10. Said pivotal plate element 17 is provided with an arcuate slot 18 through which projects an associated set screw 19 for providing positional adjustability of the element 17 in aid of breaker points gap settings as desired. I

Fixed breaker point 13 is rigidly mounted on a lower projecting car 21 formed-integral with said plate element 17. I

Pivotal breaker arm 22, on which breaker point 14 is rigidly mounted, is provided with a non-conductive sleeve bearing 23, press-fit in hub 24, and is rotatably mounted on said pin 18. Breaker point 14 is mountedon a disclike enlargement 20 on the end of said arm 22.

Mounted intermediate the ends of said breaker arm 22, and disposed to engage with cam 16, is a non-conductive cam follower or rubbing block 25. Said rubbing block and a recurved leaf spring 26 is riveted to the breaker arm 22 by means of rivet 27.

The remaining end of said leaf spring 26 is anchored to a non-conductive bar 27 which in turn is riveted to an upper projecting ear 28 formed integral with plate element 17. Said anchoring is accomplished by means of a terminal-post bolt 29.

Initial spring 26 tension holds the breaker points 13 and 14 normally together.

The filing device, used in conjunction with the above described conventional interrupter means, comprises an elongated and flat, open-ended guide or case 31, having a guideway therein, for loosely receiving a narrow flat abrasive or cutting member, such as file 32, or an emery or sandpaper board, or the like, or other contact cleaning device. The hollow case 31 guides the file 32 longitudinally as the fileis reciprocated therein.

The case 31 is formed from a pair of similar strips, correspondingly crimped along their side edges, and superposed on one another to define a passageway or guideway therebetween. Said assembly is fixed and secured by spot welding, orthe like, along the crimped edges 30.

The end portions of said guide-case 31 have their edge portions cut away to form companion spaced extensions 33, 34 and 35, 36, respectively. Said extensions arerflat and parallel, and provided with axially aligned companion apertures 37, 38 and 39, 41, respectively. One pair of said apertures is .of a diameter to receive regular contact points, and the other pair of a diameter to receive heavy duty points. The. apertures are directed transversely through the extension walls 33, 34 and 35, 36 and communicate with the guideway space therebetween.

The apertures are preferred about .004 inch in diameter greater than the contact points they are to receive, for conveniently and suitably receiving said points; although Operation: When breaker points such as in a conventional automobile ignition system are in need of cleaning, the distributor cap is removed and the interruptor means and breaker points thereof are exposed for dressing or filing. Ones finger or thumb is then forcibly applied to the underside of the pivotal breaker arm 22 and the pivotal contact 14 separated from the fixed contact 13 a distance suflicient to allow one end of the guide-case 31 to enter therebetween and said points received and anchored in the associated apertures 33 and 34, respectively. The spring biased breaker; arm 22 bears against the case 31 and holds the case 31 in extended radial position. The file 32 1's then inserted in the free end 45 of the case 31 and advanced therein and guided thereby to the breaker points 13 and 14. The knife edge 44 of the file is forced between said slightly opened 43 breaker points 13 and 14, further spreading them, until the file proper is disposed therebetween. Short reciprocating strokes of the file between the points, see dotted line it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to I such specified aperture diameter, and any suitable diameter for the intended purpose can be used.

The paired extensions 33, 34 and 35, 36, are spaced apart as at 42, Fig. 4, a distance sufiicient to hold the normally closed and the biased contact points slightly open or apart as at 43, Fig. 1. This slight spacing of the points allows .the knife edge 44, at the leading end of file 32, Fig.8, to penetrate between said points to facilitate the entry of the. file between the points for the filing operation, and also allows the spring urged pivotal breaker arm 22 to act against the upper extension 33 whereby to hold to guide-case 31 firmly in an extended radial disposition relative 'to the axially aligned points. in Figs. land 2, the breaker points 13 and 14 project .into the guideway space 42 between the extensions '33, and 34 to allow the file to operatively engage thepoints'for filing.

position 40 in Fig. 2, operatively files and cleans the point surfaces bearing against the file. It is to be noted that the case is'firmly anchored on the points against unwanted displacement therefrom; and the file is guided, by said held case unerringly to the target between the points. Should the operator accidentally withdraw the file from between the points, it is an easy matter to again force the file therebetween, guided by the guide-case 31. During the filing operation, the file is guided undeviatingly across the points, by the anchored case 31. Bccause the guide-case is held biased radially atright angle to the axially aligned points, one can sense with one's fingers when the file has departed from the true and desirable radial position, and correct the disposition of the file accordingly.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modified form of the guide-case, showing hookedends 46 and 47 on the case, for receiving and hookedly engaging the breaker points 13 and 14.

' Fig. -10 illustrates another modified form of the guidecase, showing slotted ends -48 and 49 for receiving and engaging the breaker points -13 and 14.

Fig. 11 illustrates another modified form of the guidecase of Fig. 3, showing the upper extensions 33 and 35 removed therefrom. Obviously, this modified form of the filing device receives and engages only one breaker point at a time, should that be desired.

The characteristic features of this invention are the provision of a contact filing device adapted to anchor on'the breaker points; a contact filing device that is pivotally engageable on the breaker points, and swingable in an are for ease and convenience of the filing operation; a contact filing device adapted to hold both breaker points in axialalignment while calibrating the spring tension of the pivotal contact arm; a contact filing device having a covering case to guide the file to the contact points, and over the contact points during the filing operation; a contactfiling device adapted to hold the contact points separated, to facilitate the entry of a file therebetween; a contact filing device adapted to be held radially disposed by the spring urged breaker arm; a contact filing device adapted to indicate unwanted displacement from a radial dispositionment; a contact filing device embodying a covering guide-case for maintaining a clean file and protecting the file from harmful accumulations of oil and grease thereon; and a contact filing device having either an apertured, hooked, or slotted end portion for receivingcontact points therein.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention, are possible inthe light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood, that within the scope of the appended claim, the invention may be practised otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a filing device for filing the opposed faces ofa pair of coacting contact points of an ignition interrupter wherein the contact points are mounted in alignment on respective supporting means that are spring biased in a direction to normally close the contacts and to permit their separation in a predetermined manner, a guide case having opposed spaced walls adapted to receive a file therebetween for reciprocation in performing filing operations, the walls of said case having aligned openings therein adapted to receive the contact points to be filed, the thickness of said case adjacent said openings being greater than the distance between said contact point supporting means when the contact points are closed to eifect clamping of the case in any position by said biasing of said supporting means when the case is inserted between said supporting means with the contact points in 6 the respective openings in said walls, and each wall of said case being of less thickness than the protrusion of the corresponding contact point in the opening therein from its supporting means to enable a file guided between the contact points by said case to engage and file the face of both contact points simultaneously in situ.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,631,882 Nordan June 7, 1927 2,187,292 Wilson Jan. 16, 1940 2,277,639 Hamilton Mar. 24, 1942 2,298,633 Winlock Oct. 13, 1942 

